She flicks me in the forehead, startling me, but I don’t get a chance to respond. “The Wicked Witch of the West is back, Elliot. This isn’t a game. This is war. And I know a thing or two about war.”
“Should I be concerned? Or did you serve in the Army and I just never knew about it?” She twists my nipple through my shirt this time. “Ow!”
“Let’s just agree that if I did serve in war, I’d last a lot longer than you.”
“Make your point or get out of my office, Dil.”
“Fine.” Inhaling deeply, she says, “I think the best way to prove Tori doesn’t have a second chance with you is to show her that you’ve moved on.”
My brows draw together. “Okay…”
“And what if the person you moved on to…is me?”
My mouth falls open. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
Sheholds both hands up in front of her, grazing my chest and sending an electric current running through my torso down to my dick.
Jesus, not fucking now.
“Hear me out,” she continues. “The last thing you want is to reconcile with her, right?”
“Clearly.”
“So, once she realizes she doesn’t have a chance with you, she’ll leave. That girl doesn’t have it in her to fight.”
“Speaking from experience?”
Dilynne laughs. “Ha. I wish I’d thrown a fist in her face numerous times, but I’m not talking about physically.”
“But what doyouget out of this arrangement?” I ask, trying to understand her motivation for doing this. She said this wasn’t just about me, but what the hell could Dilynne Clark need a fake boyfriend for?
Dilynne’s usual bravado falters as she clears her throat. “I, uh…”
But she doesn’t get a chance to finish because there’s a knock on the door. “Come in,” I say, watching Colby poke her head in through a crack in the door. “Hey, Collin Smith is on line one for you.” Her eyes flick to Dilynne. “Hey, Dilynne.”
“Hey, Colby. This asshole isn’t working you too hard, right?” Dilynne smacks my chest a few times.
Colby smiles as she shakes her head. “Not at all.”
“Good. ‘Cause if he does, I have no problem putting him in his place.” She turns to face me again, this time resting her hand on the center of my chest and batting her eyelashes up at me dramatically. “Isn’t that right,honey?”
I nearly choke on my saliva, but thankfully, I keep my composure and slip right back into our normal banter, but this time with a twist. “Funny, if I recall, you’re the one that likes to be punished.”
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say a flash of desire crosses her gaze before she blinks herself out of it. Smirking up at me, she pushes on her toes and plants a kiss to my cheek, but not before whispering, “We can talk more later, Grumpzilla.”
“Lucky me,” I mutter back before she spins around and smiles at Colby.
“Well, I’ve gotta run. Keep my man in line while I’m not here. Okay, Colby?”
Colby’s mouth drops open slightly, but she clears her throat. “Oh, uh…yeah, sure.”
Dilynne twists to face me from the doorway. “I’ll text you with the details.” And then she leaves.
Colby twists her head back and forth between the direction that Dilynne just sauntered and me. “Um…are you two…”
“It’s…complicated,” I reply, not sure how to answer her question because her little comment right there is going to start a fucking fire. And until I know exactly what Dilynne has up her sleeve, I think it’s safer if I don’t add fuel to the flames. “I need to answer that call.”
Colby perks up. “Oh, yes. Just uh…let me know if you need anything else.”